Pokémon: the top 10 of the best starters to start with

In view of Pokémon Legends: Arceus we have gathered the best starters (plus their fellow villagers) with whom to go on an adventure in a top 10

We have dedicated several specials to the franchise to worthily welcome Shining Diamond and Shining Pearl (whatever their corners were to be smoothed), and with Pokémon Legends: Arceus on the horizon it is normal to dedicate one top 10 to starter. The concept of first companions is one that we have had the opportunity to dissect several times over the years: just ask "Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle?" to get newbies to struggle for hours (and veterans to respond immediately). In short, there is some material to understand how to face the upcoming adventures and, why not, rediscover the previous ones.







We have imposed ourselves this time too rules, but mathematics is not an opinion: there are "only" eight generations of pocket monsters at the writing of this special, so expect to see several times the native fauna of the same region. In addition, we will try to dedicate ourselves to them strengths in the strategic context: you will therefore find many creatures with more than one type. In short, in addition to grass, fire and water there is much more, and although the undersigned has a weakness for Squirtle there is to be objective. If you are a novice coach, leave your notebooks out: let's learn how to play Chinese morra!

Great for street food

The fiery hedgehog Cyndaquil, by virtue of the lack of fauna belonging to its same type in the various games, opens the top 10 as the first of the two starters that we have selected from Pokémon Legends: Arceus. With his four burners on his back, this little Fire-type guy doesn't gain a second element as he grows. In the context of the adventure where he made his debut (in the case, we allude to the Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold and SoulSilver versions), however, he manages to have an easy life in the opening bars of the game in question.







It remains to be seen if the title coming to Nintendo Switch intends to reinvent the wheel, but unfortunately we have our hands a bit tied on its ranking. Having only the Fire-type from her, Cyndaquil (and her evolutions, Quilava and Typhlosion) tends to specialize only in her field. Trainers who have the way will do better to teach him Thunder Punch, even if he is unlikely to learn it outside the second generation. To send a Typhlosion with the move in future games, however, you need the Pokémon Bank and the Pokémon HOME service in tandem, transforming their utility in battle into a real one. investment.

Pokémon: the top 10 of the best starters to start with

Royal Gift - the top 10 starter in the Pokémon series

We wanted to dedicate a location to the water-type starter available in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, but the Unova region has better to offer. Instead of Oshawott (and of the Dewott and Samurott evolutions, however very suitable for the setting) we preferred to sing the praises of Snivy. Here, too, we have an early game companion destined to grow up with only one type, but to save Snivy and the two evolutions (Servine and Serperior) he provides his hidden ability, reversal. Not all specimens boast this ability (instead of the usual Herb help), and there is a very specific reason.

Anyone who can take advantage of the moves that interfere with the stats will already be nodding. Inversion, as the name implies, reverses every single side effect of these moves. So if the opponent chooses to throw sand in his face with a Sand Whirl attack, his accuracy will increase rather than decrease. Against certain attacks aimed at raising the statistics on purpose it can also prove insidious, it is true. Nonetheless, these are still more unique than rare occasions. Like the possibility of having a specimen of this Pokémon with the ability, on the other hand.







Pokémon: the top 10 of the best starters to start with

Croaking in the multiverse - the top 10 starter in the Pokémon series

Moving on to the polygon era of the series, Pokémon X and Y gave us one of the best allies in the series. It was time for a representative of the Water type to arrive, and here it is Froakie offers one of the most versatile choices. Growing and evolving first into Frogadier and then into Greninja, the starter will acquire the first secondary type of our ranking: Dark. This allows him to develop immunity to all Psychic-type moves, while giving him a few more weaknesses. If there was a reverse cycle of second types, we would gladly have placed it higher, but that's not the case.

Although his cronies reach final evolutionary stages of the Grass / Fighting and Fire / Psychic type, which only further increase the cyclical vulnerabilities of the trio, there are other aspects that enhance Froakie's evolutionary line. In fact, we are talking about a Pokémon among the representatives of the saga in the roster of (yes, exactly) Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. In addition to this, Greninja's popularity has led him to be one of the direct meeting points between the continuity of the games and the ad mentula canis of the anime. The transformation Greninja Form Ash, in fact, it has made its way into the games (Smash included).

Pokémon: the top 10 of the best starters to start with

Obligatory position for Charizard - the top 10 starter in the Pokémon series

To avoid being burned at the stake, we had to dedicate a position to another regular presence in the series. Did you believe it? We know well that Charmander and its evolutionary line are loved for the mere fact of being who they are, but the fact remains that providing the player with their own personal dragon (although, ironically, not Dragon-type) could only generate one of the most beloved (and representative mascots) ) of the saga. And we say this not only for Charizard's cool side, but also for his gameplay merits. Did you know that the adult version of this great little ally has received more different combinations of types?







Depending on the game in which we enjoy the services of the Flame Pokémon, we can see it in three different guises. All chapters that make use of the megaevolution (X, Y, Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire, Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, Ultra Moon, Let's Go, Pikachu! And Let's Go, Eevee!) Offered us Mega Charizard X and Mega Charizard Y, the former of which discards the combination. Fire / Flying (already an excellent starting point) in favor of the Fire / Dragon that we always wanted to see. With the advent of Dynamax and Gigamax in Sword and Shield, then, we got to know (for three turns) a new look with a greater focus on the Fire type only.

Pokémon: the top 10 of the best starters to start with

To make the table, you need woodgeco - the top 10 starter in the Pokémon series

If it weren't for the excellent Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire remakes, at least for the writer, there would be very little left to save the Hoenn region. However, between one Secret Base and another, one of the best Grass-type starters of the whole series stands out, Treecko. Beyond the distinctive Leaf Sweep move, what sets this reptile fused to a tree apart? Anyone who boasts one of his evolutions in the team, whether it is the Sceptile final or even just the intermediate Grovyle, will have noticed that his opponents rarely attack first. This is, in short, a very, very fast starter.

Let's add that already at the first stage, Treecko tends to have a fairly easy life with the first gym leader… and we get a phenomenal ally to start the adventure. Which is impressive considering the adult tree that makes up Sceptile's tail. A tree that takes on almost Christmas colors with the Mega Evolution introduced in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, but this is the minor peculiarity. The secondary type that the evolutionary line has never had, in fact, peeps out with MegaSceptile: none other than the Dragon type, believe it or not!

Pokémon: the top 10 of the best starters to start with

Grab the red Pokéball and see how deep the white rabbit hole is - the top 10 starter in the Pokémon series

Let's say that Pokémon Sword and Shield, as you play, you have to know how to take them a little. In this case we have starters placed in our hands directly by the local champion, the lovable Dandel (brother of Hop). After a comic curtain that can be summarized as Christmas in Galar, we have a choice between Grookey, Sobble and Scorbunny. The latter two combine basic animals with two passions that are more English than ever. On the one hand we have the final evolution Inteleon, Pokémon version of the agent in the service of her Majesty. On the other hand we have the Raboot and Cinderace evolutions, which as you may have guessed make of Scorbunny the fifth classified today.

We already knew that the people across the Channel have a passion for the ball, but with Cinderace we have a real gunner with a hidden ability. Unlike Inversione, however, here we are faced with a real ace in the hole. In exchange for the usual Fire Aid, some Scorbunny specimens can be equipped with Free. We do not mean the television program of Teo Mammucari, but the homonymous position in football. It works similar to Greninja's (Mutatipo) hidden ability, corroborating the attacks used by temporarily altering the Pokémon's type. Goal!

To make wood, you need Root Tree - the top 10 starter in the Pokémon series

Let's go back to Kanto for a moment to rediscover the joy of relying on Bulbasaur. There are many who dismiss the Grass type with disgust, but in addition to turning into a no brainer most of the games in which it is available also has a very valuable second type. We know that Oddish and family also enjoy the combination Grass / Poison, but taking advantage of them from the first bars of the game has a completely different flavor. A taste that can turn out to be very bitter in the mouth of the opponents, considering certain moves such as Mudbomb. Let's not talk about Toxin: dogs and pigs learn that for some reason.

Like Charizard, he enjoys two variants: MegaVenusaur and Venusaur Gigamax. In both cases, the combination of types does not change, allowing them to inflict massive damage on both cloying and dangerous Fairy-type Pokémon. The attack Radicalbero made its debut as a signature move for this creature in the RossoFuoco and VerdeFoglia versions, and was later shared with all Grass-type starters. However, its Gigamax form retains (at least as of this writing special) exclusivity on the move Gigasferzata. In general, if someone tells you there is better than Charizard… trust me!

Pokémon: the top 10 of the best starters to start with

Journey to the West - the top 10 starter in the Pokémon series

It was inevitable, given our focus on combinations of types, that sooner or later we paired it Fire / Fight would have peeped out. The question is: will it be Blaziken, Emboar or Infernape? To answer us with an ape-like scream is the latter, an evolved form of chimchar and reliable fire-type starter that we got to enjoy with Pokémon Shining Diamond and Shining Pearl. Combining the Fire type with the Fighting type allows you to better juggle the weakness of the Rock type, which is often a worry of those who want incendiary powers even at the cost of complicating their lives.

We would blame the infamous presence of Ponyta and Rapidash alone in the Sinnoh region (not the ancient counterpart Hissui which we will see on Switch later this month) as the only Fire-type monsters if that were the only reason why we praise Chimchar, Monferno and Infernape. In fact, the living homage to Sun Wukong from the well-known novel (or Son Goku from Dragon Ball, if you prefer) also helps to face the various adventures of Sinnoh better than the "colleagues" Turtwig (Grotle, Torterra) and Piplup (Prinplup, Empoleon ). The only price to pay is dealing with Pedro, but from that point on it's all downhill.

Pokémon: the top 10 of the best starters to start with

The Mud Machine - the top 10 starter in the Pokémon series

The bronze medal went to the last representative of the Fire-type in the standings, so it's only fair that the Water-type also has a chance to shine. Again: these fingers would love to type “Squirtle, Squirtle, Squirtle” but we really have to be objective. We've already talked about Hoenn with Treecko and Sceptile, and it's time to come back with Mudkip. Despite its humble origins as a creature with only the Water type, growing and evolving this becomes one of the best Pokémon to start your adventure, albeit gaining a second type already seen in the past.

In the Johto region we could see Wooper and Quagsire, an evolutionary line characterized by the type Water / Earth. The idea of ​​gameplay, largely ignored by fans, has apparently deserved a second chance in the eyes of Game Freak. In this way, the affiliation to the two types of the Water Fish Pokémon has found new life with the funny amphibian of Hoenn (which, as a tribute, gives the species in question the title of Mud Fish). Of course, the result (although weaker than others to the Grass type) involves learning Earthquake, for the sake of making life hell for Electro-type opponents. Ah, and the remakes have introduced one megaevolution for the adult form, Swampert!

Pokémon: the top 10 of the best starters to start with

Robin hoot

We'd gladly attribute it to Pokémon Legends: Arceus, but the credit for the game arriving on the 28th of the month (one of the many merits, at least) on Nintendo Switch is to bring back three excellent starters, of which we have chosen two for the top 10. The second, to no one's surprise, is right on top of the podium. When it was introduced in the early Sun and Moon trailers, the little owl Rowlet has been able to win the sympathies of the internet for its adorable design. After the games came out, however, this ally was loved for the change in the second type. Yep: not happy with having a particular combination, Rowlet boasts two!

Evolution in Dartrix is ​​the last stage where this starter boasts the already rare combination of types Grass and Flying (shared only with Hoppip and family, Tropius and Shaymin form the sky), but it is with Decidueye that things get interesting. In fact, we are talking about Grass / Ghost, which after the Phantump and Trevenant experiment makes a great return to the Alola region… and to Hisui (or ancient Sinnoh, if you like). A shame only to have seen Incineroar get the invitation letter to the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster in place of Decidueye, but on the other hand the archer owl has his work cut out in Pokkén Tournament too.

Pokémon: the top 10 of the best starters to start with

Now it's up to you to tell us yours: how would you have drawn up the ranking? Let us know below, and as always don't forget to stay on {marca_origen} for all the most important news for gamers and more. For your purely gaming needs, you can instead find the best discounts in digital format on Instant Gaming.

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